US2948569A - New and improved method and means for feeding cut tobacco to a plurality of cigarette machines - Google Patents

Description

BODN ND IMPROVED METHOD BACCO TO A PLURALIT Aug. 9, 1960 ER 2,948,569 0 MEANS FOR FEEDING cuw NEW A TO F CIGARETTE MACHINES Filed June 8, 1959 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 fir Aug. 9, 1960 F. BODNER 2,948,569 NEW AND IMPROVED METHOD AND MEANS FOR FEEDING CUT TOBACCO TO A PLURALITY 0F CIGARETTE MACHINES Filed June 8, 1959 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 F'R/TZ Ba /v5 W J W 2,948,569 NG CUT TOBACCO TO A PLURALITY OF CIGARETTE MACHINES :Filed June 8, 1959 F. BODNER Aug. 9, 1960 NEW AND IMPROVED METHOD AND MEANS FOR FEEDI 3 Sheets-Sheet 35 isiirw AND iMPRovED METHOD AND MEANS FOR FEEDING CUT TOBACCO TO A PLURALITY or CIGARETTE MACHINES Fritz Bodner, Hamburg-Lohbrugge, Germany, assignor to Hauni-Werke Korber & C0. K.G., Hamburg-Bergedorf, Germany Filed June 8, 1959, Ser. No. 818,642

Claims priority, application Germany June 14, 1958 2 Claims. 01. 30228) This invention relates to a new and improved method and means for feeding cut tobacco to a plurality of V.

cigarette machines. a

Means for feeding cut tobacco to a plurality of cigarette machines in a predetermined sequence are known in which the tobacco is transported to a supply point by means of a feed belt and from said supply point through separate pipe means to the individual cigarette machines by stream or sliver forming pneumatic means. The feed belt may comprise an elevator band or an inclined-conveyor, preferably provided with prongs or spikes and arranged for cooperation with rakevwheels to-maintain the layer of transported tobacco below a predetermined thickness.- The belts or bands are frequently called carding belts.

It is an object of the invention to provide novel and valuable improvements in methods and means of the general character indicated. 1

Another object of the invention is toprovide novel'and improved'means for the transportation of the cut tobacco from the unloading point of the conveyor means to the cigarette machines whereby the need of special equalizing or compensating equipment is eliminated.

Still another object of the invention is to provide means of thetype indicated'inwhichrthe 'cuttobacco -is picked;

up at the unloading point of the carding belt by pneumatic means whereby it is feasible to supply two or more cigarette machines through separate suction co'nduits directly from one and the same carding belt.

- A further object of the invention is to provide means of the type indicated in which a plurality of carding belts are arranged side by side and each adapted to cooperate with two or more suction conduits having their inlet openings disposed adjacent to the unloading point of the respective carding belt.

-It is a further object of the invention to provide means of the type indicated including electrical means for auto matically and sequentially controlling the carding belts and the pneumatic means in the individual conduits from the respective cigarette machines.

Another object of the invention is to provide means of the type indicated in which the electrical control means include timing means for controlling the periods of activity of the pneumatic means.

A further object of the invention is to provide means of the type indicated in which the timing means include delayed action relay means.

Other objects and advantages ofthe invention will be apparent from the following description of an embodiment thereof with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 shows diagrammatically a partial side elevation of the embodiment .of the invention,

Fig. 2 is a similar diagrammatic viewindicating also the;electrical control means,

Fig. 3 is "a'dia'gra'm'showing the control circuits for o'ne section of the embodiment including a single carding belt, and

ICE

Fig. 4 is a simplified diagram showing in full lines the control circuits of the section of Fig. 3 and in dotted lines the control circuits for an additional section.

The elevator conveyor shown in Figs. 1 and 2 comprises a plurality of carding orprong-bearing belts 2a arranged side-by-side, only one of said belts being shown on the drawings, all said belts being adapted to be individ'ually controlled. A supply container -1 for the to-' bacco to be delivered is provided, the bottom wall of which is formed by a 'feeder belt 3. The latter is driven by-a motor 8 and the carding belts 2a are driven by a motor 9. In the region of the upper reversal point of the carding belts 2a there is located in each case two (or more) connections for delivery pipes 6 and 7 which extract the tobacco carried upwardly on the surface of the carding belts 2a. As shown on the drawings the connection leading to the feed pipe 6 .is dispo'sed approximately horizontally while the other connection for the suction pipe 7 is arranged above it at an angle of about to the horizontal. If for example five carding belts 2a are arranged one beside the other it is possible to supply ten cigarette machines with the plant shown on the drawings by reason of the presence of two suction connections for each belt, but, of course, three suction connections can be used if desired.

The delivery pipes 6 and 7 are associated with feeder.

pipes 11, 12 and lead into delivery boxes or trunks 13, 14

including screen devices to extract the tobacco from the" suction stream. These boxes 13, 14 are connected tov suction pipes 15, 16 fed from a common suction pipe 17.

.- The delivery boxes 13, 14 thus extract the tobacco carried from the conveyor 2a through the pipes 6, 7 respectively couplings 10 and the suction operative upon the suction feed pipes 6, 7, 1-1, 12 is controlled by means of throttle valves 13a, 14a on the downstream side of the delivery boxes 13, 14. The o'peration of the throttle valves is effected by means of delivery box control magnets 18, 19. Air pressure operated switches 20 and 21 are provided on the suction intake pipes 6 and 7, which switches are closed when a sufiicient degree of suction is operative in the region of the suction connections. Since the coupling 10 must in each case be closed when either of the two delivery boxes 13 and 14 require tobacco the two air operated switches 20 and 21 are connected in parallel one with the other. The motor 9 for driving the carding belts 2a is in continuous operation. The feed of tobacco to the carding belts is cut 01f by feeler means 22 when the level of the tobacco on the bottom belt 3 feeding all the carding belts has exceeded the desired amount. In Fig. 3 a switching diagram for two cigarette making machines is shown in detail, these being the two machines shown or indicated in full lines in more generalized outline form in Fig. 4. Each machine has a switch box 23, v

24 respectively, embodying a timing mechanism 25, 2 6 with an associated relay switch 27, 28. The timing mechanisms 25, 26 are adjusted for a-definite supply time corresponding to the consumption of tobacco by the cigarette making machines concerned and which may be of the order of to seconds. Thedelivery box con A storage re1ay29 or 30 provided for each cigarette machine and a common distributor, for example a rotary selector switch 31 changes over from one cigarette ma- 3 chine to the other under the control of the relay switches 27, 28, the operating time being only about 1.5 to 2 seconds. A delay action relay 32 ensures that the delivery box control magnet 18, 19 only closes the respective throttle valve 13a or 14:: (see Fig 2) when there is no longer any tobacco, in the fed pipes 11, 12. A further delay action relay 33 replacesthe feeler means previously provided in the delivery boxes and determines the operating period for supplying these delivery boxes. A relay 34 responds to the switches 21), 21 and closes the protective switches 35 for the magnet 36 operating the respective coupling 10. The two air-operated switches 20 and 21 of one pair of machines are connected in parallel to the circuit of the relay 34.

The switching diagram of Fig. 3. taken in conjunction with the general outline circuit arrangement of Fig. 4 shows in detail the method of operation of the apparatus and it should be noted that the circuit diagram of Fig. 3 is shown under the condition that neither of the two cigarette machines is being supplied. When the timing mechanism 25 closes the two associated contacts by the associated switch arm 25a the feed terminal 29a of the storage relay 29 is connected to a source of current at the machine concerned. The terminal 2% is returned through the closed contact of the delay action relay 32 to the other terminal of the supply source. In this way the relay 29. is energized as long as the contact arm 32a of the delay action relay 32 is closed. On energization of the storage relay 29 the moving contact member 38 opens the contacts 38a and closes the contacts 38b and the contact member 39 opens the contacts 3% and closes the contacts 3%. By opening of the contacts 38a and 39a the connections to the storage relay 3t and to the distributor mechanism 31 are broken. By the closing of the contacts 38b the distributor mechanism 31 is energized from the terminal 29a. The other terminal of the mechanism 31 is connected to the terminal 29]) through the switch member 28a of the switch relay 2 8, the switch member 27a of the relay 27, the switch member 39 andcontacts 3% of the storage relay 29.

In this way the distributor mechanism is operated and the cam disc 31a rotates and operates the switch arm 31b so that the terminal 27b of the operating coil of relay 27 is connected to the terminal 29a. Since the terminal 291) is already connected to the terminal 270 of the switch relay 27 the latter is energized and through the switch arms 27d and 27s connects the delivery box magnet 18 to the source terminals 40. At the same time the switch arm 27a is lifted from the associated contacts and the circuit to the distributor mechanism 31 is broken. The delivery box magnet 18 opens the throttle valve 13a and connects the suction to the feed pipe 11 concerned and when there is a sufiieient vacuum in the region of the connection point of the suction pipe 6, the air switch 29 closes. This closes the circuit of the relay switch 34 which is energized and through the contact lever 3 4a it closes the circuit of the control switch 35 for the coupling magnet 36 concerned so that the latter is connected for energization through switch arms 35a and 35b from the source terminals 41.

Now the carding belt 2a concerned is connected as shown in Fig. 2 through the coupling 10 with the driving motor 9 and tobacco is fed to the suction connection 6 and is delivered therefrom to the feed pipe 11 and to the delivery box 13. At the same time as the closing of the switch arm 34a operates, the switch arms 34b and 34c connect the delay action relay 33 to the feed terminals 42 and prepare a circuit for relay 32. After a predetermined time the delay relay 33 lifts the switch arm 33a and thus breaks the circuit for the protective switch for the coupling magnet so that the track or feeder 2a is stopped. Since the protective switch 35 is no longer energized the contact arm'35c completes the circuit to the delay acting relay 3 2 The operating disc of the delay action relay 32 moves f0,

a predetermined period and then opens the circuit for the magnets of the switch relay 2 7 and the storage relay 29. Thereby the delivery box magnet 18 is de-energized and the throttle valve 13a cuts off the suction from the pipe 15. The delay period is; so proportioned that the tobacco still remaining in the feed pipe'll is sucked into the deiv Th c a r c c th tqtage re y 29'revert to the position shown in Fig. 3,. Now the distributor mechanism 31 is connected on the one hand through the switch arm 38 and on the other hand through the switch arms 28a, 27a and 39 to the storage relay 30 and is energized through the switch arms 43 and. 44. when the relay 30.is operated by the timing mechanism 26. The timing cam disc 31c of the switch mechanism now moves on and actuates, the switch arm 31d whereby the operating circuit for the magnets on switch relay 28 for the delivery box operating coil 19 is closed. The circuit then continues to operate in a manner which will be obvious and similarly to that previously described, but now feeds the second machine of the pain-and a further machine if each carding belt feeds three machines and so on.

Fig. 4 of the drawings shows a generalized view of a" complete delivery plant according to the invention in diagrammatic form from which not only the control cooperation of the individual parts but also the further possibilities of including other equipment connected to. a single suction fan is indicated by dotted lines.

By the invention it is possible to connect to one elevator with several carding belts 2a up to 15 cigarette making machines, and by the improved control procedures it is possible for the individual cigarette machines to be fed rapidly and reliably with tobacco in sequence according to requirements.

What I claim is:

1. In an apparatus for feeding cut tobacco from a source of supply to a plurality of cigarette machines, a carding belt, electric motor means for moving said carding belt in one direction from a loading station to an unloading station, an electric circuit for said motor means, rake means rotatably mounted adjacent to said carding belt to keep the thickness of the layer of tobacco on said carding belt below a maximum value, a first suction conduit extending substantially horizontally from said unloading station, a second suction conduit extending at an angle of substantially thirty degrees upwardly said motor circuit with said electromagnet means, air

pressure switches, and cigarette machines, and means in said electrical circuit means for operating said electromagnet means and electric motor means in timed relation to intermittently and alternatingly furnish said cigarette machines with the cut tobacco.

2. Apparatus as set forth in claim 1, including a delay switch relay in said electrical circuit means fordelaying the closing of each of said valves. 4

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,140,128 Craggs Dec. l3, 1938 2,862,646v Hayford Dec. 2, L958 FOREIGN PATENTS 7 640,057 Germany Jan. 5, 1937 173,003

Austria Nov. 10, 1952

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